Whether I'm cooking for my family, working as a personal chef, dining out, reading cookbooks, browsing recipe ideas online, or imagining my next meal, it is obvious that my life revolves around FOOD! This blog showcases what I'm eating and cooking with a variety of personal recipes along with some published recipes that I love, all right here for you to try!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Peek Inside a Personal Chef Cookdate

I am blessed to apprentice with a local peronal chef who is teaching me all about the personal chef business. Now, I know some people might want to know- What is a personal chef? A personal chef is hired by individuals to go to their home and prepare wonderful meals in their kitchen, which are left in the refrigerator to be consumed when they wish.

Who hires personal chefs? No, not (only) rich people! Most of our clients are working parents with a family to feed and no time to spend menu planning and cooking. They want to eat wholesome, homemade food in their own home. This is a convenient and affordable way to eat delicious food made with love by trustworthy hands at home.

On our weekly cookdate my mentor and I normally prepare three to four entrees plus side dishes each serving four, which takes between 3-5 hours. I normally join my mentor at her clients' homes, but this week for the first time I did one all on my own. I provided a list of menu options and my client selected three entrees. I purchased the groceries and cooked the meal in their home. It was a joy to create this meal and felt so natural to plan my own cookdate. Here is a look at the menu they selected.

Fizzy Chicken with Lemon VinaigretteServed with sweet roasted carrots

Chicken breasts are pan seared then gently cooked in fizzy sauce made from club soda, butter, and red pepper flakes, and is served with a creamy lemon and chive vinaigrette on the side.

Baby carrots roasted in the oven with walnuts, red onion and raisins, then tossed with dill and cilantro.

New Orleans Shrimp CreoleServed with basmati rice and French baguette
A thick stew made from seafood stock, tomatoes, veggies and shrimp, spiced up with hot sauce and cayenne pepper, served with warm baguette for dipping.

Indian Chicken Tandoori with Yogurt SauceServed with a feta, chickpea and veggie couscous salad
A creamy yogurt sauce full of delicious mid-eastern spices coats chicken thighs, served with a cool cucumber sauce with paprika and dill (not pictured).

A couscous salad tossed with lemon and olive oil and bursting with fresh veggies, chickpeas, herbs and feta cheese makes a refreshing and healthy side dish.

Once all these fabulous foods are prepared I package them in handy-dandy plastic containers, label, and place them in the client's fridge.

What will they eat first??

Then I leave re-heating instructions and well wishes for happy eating!

About Me

I'm a personal chef in the Twin Cities, and I created this blog to share my passion with others who love food and cooking, and to hopefully inspire a few new home cooks to give it a shot. You're invited to wine and dine with me as I share what I'm eating and cooking! Check out my personal chef website, A Simple Kitchen, www.ASimpleKitchenMN.com.